Scottish-born "Bomber", a respected state league coach with NSW Premier League power Sutherland Sharks, confirmed to au.fourfourtwo.com today that the pair have held informal talks about the position up north.

"From a financial point of view it would've been very difficult for me to leave Sydney, my job and take my family with me," he said today.

"We had a little chat about it and he was keen to have me up there. We are also good friends but it's not the right move for me at this stage. But I'm not ruling out any future move into the A-League."

The role of assistant coach in the A-League has proved a stepping stone for a number of coaches, including Ferguson, who spent three years under Lawrie McKinna at Central Coast.

Gary Van Egmond, Aurelio Vidmar and David Mitchell have also been number twos before moving up the A-League coaching ladder.

Brown took the Sharks to Premiers in 2008 and into the Grand Finals of both the Johnny Warren Cup and Championship Series.